- Nanodots: single, defect-free crystals that create magnetic sensors that are put directly into a silicon electronic chip to store information. These nanodots, which can be made uniformly as small as six nanometers in diameter efficiently store information in small areas.
- Chips: Computer Chips; Silicone-based technology that have circuits and allow computers to function. The particular chip in this article deals with computer memory technology.
A North Carolina State University researcher created a computer chip that can store enough data to hold an entire library’s worth of information on a single chip composed of nanodots. The reason that this chip can store so much information in such a small place is that it uses the newly developed nanodot; they are so efficient that they can store up to one billion pages of data on a one square inch chip. These nanodots, can allow programmers to read and write data to the chips. The best part of this new chip is that it can made in a cost-efficient way, thus average people can actually use it. The next step for the scientists to actually sell the product to the public is to create a reading and writing system that utilizes something like laser technology in order to let people get their data on and off these chips. Discussion:
I chose this article, because this is a huge breakthrough in the field of data storage. My whole life I have been amazed by how scientists have been able to store so much data in such small things, like ipods and laptops. As the research on this project develops and the chip becomes more reliable, it will totally change technology as we know it. Products will get thinner and thinner and be more powerful; this will make storing data so much easier. The chip will help large online companies like Amazon and Ebay to store their online data in smaller areas. I think it is really cool how the public can afford this and not just big companies. This product would help many; instead of having to carry around a large portable drive in a backpack, people would be able to carry the same amount of data in their pockets.
Questions:
- How long would it take to develop a reading and writing system for the chip?
- How long will it take for the chip to be integrated into technology, like computers?
National Science Foundation. "Click here to find out more! Nanodots Breakthrough
May Lead to ‘A Library on One Chip’." US News . US News, 27 Dec. 2010. Web.
9 Jan. 2011. <http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2010/12/27/
nanodots-breakthrough-may-lead-to-a-library-on-one-chip.html>.
Picture: http://courses.ece.ubc.ca/493/Picture/computer-chips.jpg
